Coupler-operating mechanism



" May 11 192e. 1,583,987

. A. J. MONFEE y n COUPLER OPERATING y MECHANI SM Filed oct. 22. 19244 2sheets-sheet 1" f l 3 Z4 .229 251'@ 44 Z0 May' 1l 1926.

A. J. MONFEE COUPLER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed oct. 22. v1924 2sheets-sheet 2 V Swuemto'c HND/FEW J Mo/vFL-E m (MLVM MMG/ot PatentedMay 11, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. t

ANDREW J. MONFEE, OF PRATT CITY, ALABAMA.

COUPLER-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed October 22, 1924. Serial No. 745,160.

This invention relates to improvements in coupler operating devices andaims to provide improved means for lifting the socalled locking pins ofstandard types of railway car couplers. An .embodiment of the inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 representsconventionally a plan of the end portions of two railway cars connectedby standard couplers and equipped with my improved coupler releaserigging;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the end sill and carend with a release rigging mounted to the rear of and above the 'endsill; Y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a car end illustrating the application ofmy improved device to a standard coupler;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail taken longitudinally of a railway carshowing a portion of the couplerand illustrating two positions ofcertain parts of the coupler operating mechanism.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the end of each car is providedwith the usual coupler 10 which is connected to suitable draft riggingof known construction. The shank of the coupler projects through alongitudinal opening 12 in a buffer casting 14 which is suitablyfastened to the under framing of the car and also attached to the endsill 16- thereof. The coupler is provided with the usual locking pin 18which latter is adapted .to -be lifted by means of my improved releaserigging. l

Extending transversely of the car and secured at its forward edge to theend sill 16 is a oor plate 20. Located above this plate and set backsome distance from the for ward edge 22 thereof, I mount a pair ofbrackets 24 and 26 which form pivotal bearings for a transverselyextending shaft 28 which at the outer end of the car is bent at rightangles as at 30 to form a longitudinally extending crank arm. Theforward end of this arm is bent downwardly as at 32 to form an operatinghandle. This handle is so located that trainmen on the roadbed caneasily grasp the same in order to rock the shaft 28 without enteringbetween the cars. The shaft 2S can also be rocked by trainmen yon thecar by grasping the forwardly extending portion 30. At the inner end ofthe shaft 28 and approximately in line with the longitudinal center lineof Vof the link within the eye.

the car the rod is bent upwardly as at` 34 i y and forwardly to form 'acrank arm v36. An eye V38 is formed on the outer end of this crank armand the latter is made `sufficiently wide at the bottom as at 40 topermit considerable transverse play of a link 42 which passes throughsaid 'eye and which on its rear end is formed with an eye 44 which y Theeye 40 formed in the end of vthe crank arm 36 as above stated issufficiently wide to permit a generous transverse movement Suchvmovement Vis required because of 'the transverse movement on thecoupler relatively to the i cars in going around curves. In Fig. 3, Ihave indicated 1n dotted lines two posi- Itions which the locking pin ofthe coupler 18 may assume in operation. Such trans- Verse movement willcause the downwardly extending arm 46 'of the floating linkto act as acrank to rock the same about the axis 54 of the crank arm 36 it 'beingvremembered that the eye 44 is loosely pivoted on such arm 36. Suchrocking movement of the crank portion 46 of the link will necessarilyrock th-e longitudinally extending part 42 thereof to the right and leftas indicated `at Fig. 3 in dotted lin-es and the transverse dimension ofthe eye 40 is suliiciently wide near itslower end 'to permit suchrocking movement without any binding of the parts. The link 42, becauseof the formation ofthe eye 40 is also free to swing o'bliquely in ahorizontal plane from either side of the center of the crank arm 36`because of the loose connection between said arm and the eye 44. i

As best illustrated in lFig. 4, the vertical dimension of the eye 40 isalso sutlicient to permit the link 42 to be moved in a vertical planerelatively to the crank arm 36 as illustrated by the dotted and fullline positions illustrated in this figure.

Io lift the locking pin, it will be readily understood that it is merelynecessary for the trainman to grasp .either the crank 30 or handle 32which will rock the rod 28 and lift thev crank arm 36. Because of theengagement of the eye 44 with the arm 36 and the fact that the undersideof the eye 38 engages the link 42, the movement of the crank arm willcause the link to be lifted and with it the locking pin. Thisaction willlift the locking pin to approximately the position shown in Fig. l4. Andbecause of the vertical dimension of the eye 40, the

locking pin and link 42 can remain in this position as indicated indotted lines and yet 'allow the crank 36 to drop back to its normalposition as shown in Fig. 4. This arrangement permits the locking pin tobe positioned to the so-called lock set position Vwith respect to thecoupler and when a pair of trains are coupled up, the lock pin can dropand with it the link 42. This will restore the parts to the fullposition shown in Figs-l and 4. g

The construction is such that the parts are inexpensively manufacturedland yet are positive in their action.

It will be noted that the construction is such that all of thesupporting parts of the release rigging are located above the end sillof the car and to the rear thereof and Athat the only portions extendingbetween the cars are the operating handle 32 and the arm 46 of the linkwhich must necessarily so extend when connected with the coupler. Thisdisposition of the parts has the advantage that in the event ofcollision or end bumping of oars when handling them by push bars and thelike in switching, there is little likelihood of any damage being doneto the release rigging. Y

Though I have described with great particularity the details of thespecific embodiment of the invention illustrated, it is not to beconstrued that I am limited thereto as various modifications andsubstitutions may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the invention as defined in the appended claims. y

What I claim is: l l. A oar coupler operating mechanism consistingsolely of a pair of co-acting mempasses, the latter memberl having onepart bers one of which is journalled on the car and the other of whichengages the locking pin of the coupler7 the former member having an armabove the coupler extending longitudinally of the car and substantiallyyin alignment with the coupler locking pin, said arm having anupstanding eye at its outer end through which the second member looselyembracing said arm at one end and adapted to slide and pivot thereon andanother part extending downwardly and engaging the coupler locking pin.

2. A car coupler operating mechanism consisting solely of a pair ofco-acting mem- L.bers one of which is journalled on the car and theother of which engages the locking pin of the coupler, the former memberhaving an arm above the coupler extending longitudinally of the car andsubstantially in `alignment with the coupler locking pin, said on thecar above and to the rear of the end.

sill of the car, an inner crank arm integral with said shaft extendinglongitudinally and centrally of the oar and terminating in an upstandingeye located to the rear of the car end, a floating link extendingthroughk said eye and havlngtwo downwardly extending portions one ofwhich loosely embraces said crank arm and the other of which engages thecoupler locking pin.

4. A car coupler operating mechanism comprising a hand operable shaftextend- 'l ing transversely of the car and having ran integral crank armat its lnner end ter- .minating short of the end of the car, ran

eye on the end of said crank arm and a floating link engaging thecoupler locking pin and passing through said eye and having a portionloosely embracing said crank arm.

5. A car coupler operating mechanism consisting solely of two `operatingparts including a hand operable shaft extending transversely of the carand having a crank arm at its inner end 'terminating short of the end ofthe car, an eye on the end of said crank arm and a floating linkextending centrally of the car and passing through said eye andterminating at one end in a downwardly extending arm which engages thecoupler locking pin and at the opposite end in.`

an eye which loosely embraces said crank arm. In witness whereof, I havehereunto signed my name.

ANDREW J. Morir-EE.

